Hitching-post



(No Mod'el.)

P. H. CONNER. HITGHING POST.

No. 581,065. Patented Apr. 20. 1897.

UNITED STATES Fries.

PATRICK H. CONNER, OF MONTICELLO, IOIVA.

HlTCHlNG-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,065, dated April 20, 1897.

Application iiied April 15,1896.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. CONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monticello, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Hitching-Post, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to an improvement in hitching-posts, being designed especially for use in thickly-populated sections where n it is desirable to avoid obstructions or projections above the sidewalk or roadway.

The object of the presentinvention is to provide a novel and efficient hitching-post of a construction adapting the same to be sunk beneath the surface of the ground, but be capable of being readily elevated into operative position and sustained at such elevation and to be as readily lowered or returned beneath the surface of the ground.

A further object of the inventionis to provide such a device with a flexible chain having secured to its lower end a weight whereby such chain may be withdrawn above the surface of the ground and attached to a horse or returned to its position within the post, thus affording an alternative means for bitching a horse.

In order to accomplish the objects above mentioned, the invention consists in animproved hitchin g-post embodying certain novelv features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the drawings,and finally1 pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical section of the improved hitchingpost, showing the same lowered beneath the surface of the ground. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the upper end of the hitchingpost socket, a portion of the bitching-post, and the socket-cap detached. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the upper end of the post-socket. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the complete device as it appears when lowered.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several iigures of the f drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a metal pipe or tube of any desired size and of an appropriate length and which may be either square or round in cross- Serial No. 587,700. (No model.)

section. In the event of a round tube being employed the same is provided upon its interior surface with an oppositely-disposed pair of grooves 2, which extend longitudinally the Aentire length thereof. In addition to the grooves 2 this tube, which forms the hitchingpost socket, is provided at its upper end with diametrically-opposed notches 3, arranged intermediate the grooves 2 and adapted to receive the extremities of a transverse pin carried by the hitching-post, as will hereinafter appear, and the upper end of the tube or socket 1 is also provided with a pair of upwardly-projecting segmental an ges 4, which are arranged diametrically opposite to each other, each flange extending between one of the grooves 2 and one of the notches 3, with its ends forming vertical extensions of the adjacent side walls of the groove and notch between which it extends, the flanges thus forming stops for engaging the said pin on the hitching-post and positively guiding it into the grooves or notches, as the case may be.

A cap 5 is applied to the upper extremity of the socket l, said cap having a depending annular flange 6, which surrounds the upper end of said tubular socket and is provided with an internal shoulder '7, which rests upon the upper edge of the socket and leaves an annular space 8 within the cap and its depending annular iiange, in which the hitching-post pin may turn.

The hitching-post (indicated at 9) is also tubular in form and preferably round in cross-section and of a height corresponding approximately to that of the tubular socket. This bitching-post has at a short distance from its lower extremity a pin 10, extending transversely through it, the opposite ends of said pin projecting slightly beyond the exterior surface of the post and being adapted to engage and slide longitudinally with the grooves 2 in the tubular socket. The hitch.- ing-post 9 is also provided at its upper end with a circular head 11, which when the post is lowered fits within a circular recess or countersink 12 in the upper face of the cap 5, whereby the bitching-post is limited in its descent and the upper face thereof allowed to rest iiush with the corresponding face of the cap 5.

The diameter of the hitching-post is slightly IOO less than the bore of the cap 5 and the tubular socket l, so that it may slide freely therein, and the segmental stops et on the upper end of the tubular socket enter and rest within the annular space 8 in the cap, in which the opposite ends of the pin lO move. By means of this construction the hitchingpost may be raised until the ends of the pin 10 strike against the cap 5, when, by reason of the pin being in a higher plane than the upper end of the socket,the hitching-post may be turned a quarter of a revolution until the projecting ends of the pin l0 strike against the ends of said stops and drop into the notches 3 referred to, whereupon the hitching-post is upheld in its raised position, the lower end of said post being at a sufficient depth in the tubular socket to brace such post laterally.

Then it is desired to lower the post, it is raised slightly and given a quarter-turn, whereupon the ends of the pin l0 will strike the opposite ends of the stops l and be guided into the grooves 2, thus enabling the post to be lowered in a manner thatl will be readily understood.

In order to facilitate the lifting of the hitching-post, a semicircular or bail handle 13 is applied to the head of said post, said handle being adapted to rest within a semicircular groove ll in the cap in such manner as to be flush therewith when not in use. A nailnotch l5 enables such handle to be lifted when desired.

1G designates a chain which is arranged within the hitching-post and has secured to its lower end a weight I7 sufficient to withdraw said chain into the bore of the post when out of use. The upper end of said chain is provided with a snap-hook 1S, which may be connected to the bridle of a horse, and said snap-hook also carries a circular shield or cap 19, which covers the upper end of the bore in the bitching-post and prevents the ingress of dirt and water therein when said chain is not being used.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a very simple and efficient bitching-post is obtained, which may be located beneath the surface of the sidewalk or roadway.

lVhen it is desired to hitch a horse, the handle 1l may be grasped and the post lifted and locked in its lifted position, as above described, and the horse attached thereto by means of the usual hitching-strap. lVhen no longer needed, by simply giving the post a quarter-turn it will fall to its normal position.

If desired, the chain and its weight maybe used in lieu of the post, and this willbe found particularly useful where the rider or driver is not provided with a hitching-strap, as the sna-p-hook 18 may be connected to the bridle in a manner well understood. The weight l7 is not heavy enough to pull downwardly upon the head of the horse, but only suf1icient to take up the slack in the chain, and th us prevent the horse from getting his foot over the chain and entangled therewith.

It will be apparent that a square tube may be employed in lieu of the round tube forming the hitching-post socket, in which case the projecting ends of the transverse pin l0 will slide within the corner-spaces of such square tube.

It will also be apparent that other changes in the forni, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a tubular socket having an internal longitudinal groove and provided with a notch in its upper edge, and having also an upwardly-projecting fiange extending between the groove and notch with its end walls forming vertical extensions of the adjacent side walls of the notch and groove, of a vertically-movable hitching-post within said socket having a laterally-projecting pin adapted to engage in said groove and socket, and a cap fitting on the end of the socket and having a central opening for the passage of the post and provided with an annular recess into which the flange projects and which also forms a passage through which the pin moves from the notch to the groove or vice versa, substantially as described.'

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK II. CONNER.

W'itnesses:

O. R. RICKER, L. T. ALEXANDER.

IOO 

